Derrick



July 10, 1928.

v J. D. M EWEN DERRICK Filed April 19, 1926 INVENTOR WITNESSES w Patented July 10, 1928.

mam

COMPANY, INCORBORATED, PENNSYLVANIA.

; JoHivfn. :iucEwni\r,1oF 'PiTTsBURGH, rnivivsytveivia, -ASSIGNOR no LEE 0. Momma or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, iiconrona'r oiv or nnRaioK.

Application filed Apri1 19 1926. sari-a m. 102,899.

The invention relates to structural steel derricks for oil, gas and other wells,- and for other purposes, and which include corner columns and struts and cross-bracing 5 connected to the columns to form panels.

When, for example, such derricks are used for drilling orpumping oilor gas Wells,

they must be stronger for effecting some operations than for effecting others. Specifically, materially greater derrick strength is required for drilling a well than for pumping it; Also,- materially greater strength is required for pulling a wellcasing than for pumping the well. Hence af-' suming that it remains unchanged, much stronger than is required for-pumping the ter a welllhas been drilled, the derrick, as-' umn; and F igf' l' a view corresponding to Fig. 3 showing the column 'when its reenforcing member is attached from it.

According to this invention each corner column of "a structural steel derrick "is" formed of angle'bars positioned with their backs facing outwardly of the derriCkand. their legs parallel to the sides of the derrick, and provision is made for removably at:

taching to each corner column a reeniorc 6O ing angle arranged with its back facing inwardly of the clerrick. Forthis purpose bracket angle bars are preferably attached at intervals to the b'acks'of the columnforming angle bars, the outstanding legs of the bracketaiigle bars being perforated for well, which means thata' substantial part be desirable to pull the casing.

ofthe derrick structure" is idle and useless during the pumping'period and until it may An object of thisinvention'is to provide a structural steel derrick having its corner.

columns formed of angle, bars. which are provided with simple and effective means for attaching reenforcing members to'the columns in such a Way that the members,

when not'required' for strengthening "the V derrick columns, may be readilyremoved same or similar reenforcingmembers may be. again" attached to the columns.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structural steel derrick having'its corner columns reenforced in suchfinaiiner removablyjattaching the column-reenforcing angle bars to them for strengthening the derrick 'for heavy duty. 'Wliile the bracket angles may be attached to the columns at va rious positions, they are preferably attached at the panel points, of thecolumns, and they are preferably arranged in pairs at such 1 points. Additional bracket anglesn'iay be provided between the panel points.

Referring now to the illustrative embodimont'of the invention, Fig. 1 shows aider-' rick comprising corner colunins'l which are connected toeach other by cross-bracing 2 and used on other derricks, and that the that the derrick columns and reenforcing members constitute a composite column having a large radius ofgyration and accordingly "increased strength. for a given crosss'ectional area of metal" in the main and 'reenfo-rcing column members. 1 The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, of whichFig. l is an ele vation of a derrick embodying the inVen-Q ofa portion of a column of the derrick of ig. 1; Fig. 3 a transverse sectionalview taken on'the line IIIIII,' Fig. 2, showing areenforcing member attached to the col tion; Fig. 2 an elevation toenlarged'scale and str'uts 3, the cross-bracing and strutsforming panelsin the customary manner, the panel points being indicated at .4. Each column 1 comprises'an angle or a series of angles positioned witlitheir backs facing outwardly of the derrick and their sides parallel to those of the derricks. At each} panel point a pair of bracket'angles 5 is attached to'the back of. col standing legs. of the: bracke a right-angle pocket for the reception of an angle bar 6 for reenforcing the column; The bracket angles are provided with perforations 16 4) for receiving bolts 'Zfor the t angles forming attachment'of column-reenforcing anglesb, I

and the latter are'preferably provided with slots to receive the bolts, slots being used umn 1, the out-' rather than round holes to compensate jfor ,7 I

inaccuracies in the spacingand positions of perforations 16 'in the bracket angles. In.

Fig. l the right hand column is shown as having a reenforcing angle bar 6, and the left column With the reenforcing angle bar removed.

To simplify the construction and erection of the derrick the ends of cross-bracing 2 and of struts 3 are preferably connected to the columns by bolts 8 Which are also used for attaching bracket angles 5 to the columns; At the splice points of the angle bars, one of which is indicatedat 10, a splice angle or bent plate 11 may be attached to the inner faces of these angle bars, as shown in Fig. 3, these splice angle barsbeing arranged between the column angle bars and the ends of-the struts and cross-bracing For further connecting reenforcing column angle bars 6 to the permanent column members 1, shorterbracket angle bars 12 be attached to columns 1 between the panel pointsin a manner similar to the attachmentof bracket angle bars 6, and as is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The arrangement of the derrick corner columns -1, the, bracket angles 5, .and the reenforcing angle bars-6 to constitute an expanded section ,as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is a. decided advantage over the derrick reenforcingstructures heretofore proposed, it being obvious that such adisposition of the 1 coo )eratin arts substantiall increases the strength ofthe reenforced columns.

WVhena derrick embodying this invention is erected for drilling a well, reenforcing angle barsGare customarily attached to the bracket angles 5 of eachcorner column 1. Afterthe Well has been drilled, and the correspondingly heavy duty of the derrick terminated (unless it becomes desirable later to; pull the casing), the reenforcing angle bars 6 areremoved'from the columns, leaving'bracket angle bars 5 in place. The reenforcing angle bars may then be used on another derrick, andeither they, or similar 'reenforcing anglebars, may be later attached to the brackets should it become necessary or desirable to call upon the derrick to perform further heavy duty.

According to the provisions of'the patent statues, Ihave. explained the principle and operation of my. invention and have illus trated, and described WhatI now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire. to have it understood that, Within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention maybe practicedby other. forms of construction' than that particularly illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A- derrick having corner columns and struts 'and crossbracing connected to the columns to form panels, each column comprising an angle bar positioned With its backfacing outwardly of audits legs parallel--to-='th'e.-sidesotthe derrick, and bracket angle bars attached to the backs of said colun1n-for1ning angle bars at the panel points, the outstanding legs of said bracket angle bars being perforated for removably attaching to them column-reenforcing angle bars to strengthen the derrick for, heavy duty.

2. A derrick having corner columns and struts and cross-bracing connected to the columns to form panels, each'column'com prising an angle bar positioned With its back facing outwardly ofand' its legs' -parallel to the sides of the derrick, and bracket angle bars attachedin pairs to the backs of said column-forming angle bars and at the panel points of the column, the outstanding legs of said bracketangle bars formingri ght angled pockets for receiving, and being perforated for removably attaching; tothemcolumn-reenforcing angle bars to strengthen.

the derrick for heavy duty.

3. A derrick having corner. columns, and

struts and cross-bracing, eaclrcolumn comprising an angle bar positioned with its back facing outwardly of-and itslegs-para-h lel to the sides of the derrick, bracket angle bars arranged in pairs-0n the backs. of, said column-forming. angle bars, and a single. set ofv clamping members for. attaching said bracket anglebars and; the: ends of said struts and cross-bracing to said columnforming angle bars, the outstanding legs of said bracket angle bars forming v-rrght being.

angled pockets forreceiving, and perforated for removably attachingto them reenforcing angle bars to. strengthen. the derrick for heavy duty.

4. A derrick having corner columns. and struts-and cross-bracing. connected. to the columns to .form'panels, eachcolumrr C0111: prising an angle bar positioned With its back facing outwardlyof and its .legsparah lel to the sides ofthe derrick, bracket angle bars attached at the panelv points. to 1 the. back of saidcolumn-forming angle bars and having their outstanding legs provided with perforations, and column-reenforcing angle bars bolted to the outstanding; legs of sa-id bracket angle bars for strengtheningv the derrick .for. heavy duty.

5. A derrick having corner columns and struts. and cross-bracing COHI18Ct6Cl-tO,th%

columns to form panels, each. column comprising an angle bar. positioned with its: back facing outwardly, of and its legs. paral lel to the sides of the derrick, bracketangle bars attached in pairs to the. backsof usaid column-forming angle. bars. and j. at the. panel. points of the 7 column, said. bracket." angles:

having their outstandinglegs provided with.

perforations, and column-reenforcing angle 7 bars boltedto the outstanding legs of said bracket angle bars} for strengthening the derrick for heavy duty.

6. In a derrick structure havingcorner columns made up of two parallel series of the combination of langle bar brackets angle bar sections placed end to end in the adapted to connect the ends of adjacent secrespective series, the bars of; one series betions of, each seriesandto connect the. two 10 ing back to back relative to those of the series to each other at each joint of each s other series, the joints between adjacent 'secseries.

' tions of one series being staggered With re- In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

spect to the adjacent joint of the other series, JOHN D. MCEWEN. 

